Tiki Barber again rips Giants for sitting starters

New York Giants legend Tiki Barber once again criticized head coach Brian Daboll for sitting starters ahead of a divisional clash, this time regarding Daboll's call to protect key players during the preseason before what became this past Sunday's 40-0 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

"I hate the fact that most teams, but particularly my team, does not play in the preseason," Barber explained during the WFAN "Evan and Tiki" program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "I hate it. The preseason is a chance to get hit...I hate that nobody plays in the preseason. Because when the first game happens, you get hit with an intensity that you’re just not ready for." 

Barber generated headlines in January when he blasted the Giants on multiple occasions for sitting first-teamers for the Week 18 matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles last season that was mostly meaningless for Big Blue. While New York earned a wild-card playoff win at the Minnesota Vikings, the Giants then suffered a blowout 38-7 defeat at the Eagles the following weekend. 

Barber suggested on Monday the Giants lacked the proper effort and focus before they endured a historic loss at MetLife Stadium to open the 2023 season. He indicated that might not have been the case had starters taken the field for even a series or two in each exhibition game last month. 

"I know you can say, 'I’m a (veteran player), I’ve done this before,' but you’ve spent six months doing nothing but running around in your underwear, just shorts and t-shirts, acting like you’re an elite, physical athlete," Barber continued. "Guess what? You’re not until you put pads on and hit somebody in the chin." 

As absolutely pitiful as the Giants looked on Sunday night, OddsChecker listed them as favorites (-205, -5) to pick up a win at the 0-1 Arizona Cardinals this coming Sunday. Arizona lost 20-16 at the Washington Commanders in Week 1. 

"I don’t think they are this bad…that’s not them," Barber added about the 2023 Giants. "But I felt I was watching a team half-a----- through the motions, and had no idea how to flip a switch. 'We don’t need the preseason. We’re gonna come back in Week 1 and just flip the switch. We have veterans and good stars.'" 

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News noted the Giants looked "completely unprepared" to face the Cowboys for whatever reasons. What's done is done, and Daboll had better have his squad ready to go against a Cardinals team that didn't seem to be tanking at Washington.